


Happy Valentines

by AussieBudgieB



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, johniarty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-19 12:24:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22710793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AussieBudgieB/pseuds/AussieBudgieB
Summary: John unexpectedly meets Moriarty in the park on valentines day.
Relationships: James Moriarty/John Watson, Jim Moriarty/John Watson
Comments: 11
Kudos: 125





	1. Chapter 1

John refused to spend Valentine’s Day with Sherlock, solving cases that were below a five. He put on his best dating shoes, grabbed his phone and headed out.

The first person he called was busy.

So were all the other girls he had saved on his phone.

Groaning, John slumps down on a park bench. John Watson, a retired lady killer. John laughs in pity for himself.

During the war, John had been looking forward to not spending Valentine’s Day alone. But he never left the war, not really.

A shadow falls over the brooding man. Opening his eyes, John sees red. Red roses, a bouquet of them. Grabbing them and pulling them down, he’s greeted with a familiar, grinning face. His blood runs cold

“Moriarty”

The criminals face contorts to a look of exaggerated disappointment

“It’s Jim, or James, whatever _you_ prefer darling” he says, batting his eyelashes and ending with biting his lip playfully.

To say John is confused would be a major understatement. When he doesn’t react, Moriarty sighs and moves to sit down uncomfortably close to John, leaving no room for John to move or escape to.

“Are you going to kill me?” John asks, he’s quite stunned when Moriarty laughs softly at him.

“A valid question I suppose, given our past” he muses, “but no. Not today at least” he winks.

“So what-“

“No” Moriarty cuts off Johns’ question. He slowly smiles, eyes alight with dangerous mischief “deduce it”

Deduce it the man says. John nods once, looking around and trying to gather the facts. The roses still in his hand are a big sign, as well as the dangerous mans’ flirty attitude on such a day. But; John thinks, there is no valid reason Moriarty would actually be wooing him, so there must be something else, something he’s missing.

“you’re thinking too hard” Moriartys’ voice whispers close to his ear, lips brushing over his skin ever so softly, startling him out of his thoughts. He jerks his head away and looks directly at Moriarty.

“I’m a simple man _Johnny_ ”

John scoffs, “simple?” he says incredulous, “first you try to kill me and now you’re what; trying to woo me? Why?”

Moriarty unexpectedly smiles warmly at him, his gaze softening to that of someone in love and Johns’ breathe catches. Moriarty and whatever feelings he has are a mystery to be sure.

“I’m ‘ _wooing you_ ’, because I like you and its valentine’s day”

John is almost 100% sure that Moriarty is lying. It must show on his face because Moriarty huffs out an annoyed breathe. John decides it’s in his best interest to play along; for now.

“Ok. Say I believe that. Why?” he looks sideways at the man pressed up beside him who is giving him a raised eyebrow as a response.

“Why do I like you?” he asks, and when John nods, Moriarty looks up at the blue sky.

“You impressed me. You _keep_ _on_ impressing me”

“How?” John ask, almost genuinely interested, but still highly sceptical.

Moriarty takes a moment to roll his neck, releasing tension

“The first time was in barts. You were ready to defend Sherlock when I got too close, not even knowing consciously that I was a threat. Then you spoke to me _for_ him. You were his manners when he couldn’t be bothered. I was a no one and you took the time to make me feel welcome”

John tries to but in by Moriarty waves him off

“Yes I know it was for Sherlock, but it still amazed me.” He pauses, closing his eyes “and then the pool. You literally caught me by surprise”

Both John and Moriarty chuckle.

“You killed Hope” he says. It’s not a question but John reluctantly nods, looking away from Moriarty.

A bird lands in front of them, picking at the ground. Another bird flies down and the first one flies off, the second following it closely. They dance in the sky together till they’re out of sight.

“I envy Sherlock. What he has” Moriarty whispers. John can’t bring himself to believe that’s a lie, it was said with such heavy emotion.

“People still think he’s a freak”

Moriarty hums a sound of agreement, “but he has you. Your devotion”

John turns back to look at Moriarty, but the man looks so sincere. Moriarty reaches a hand up and John doesn’t flinch away as the man runs his fingers through Johns’ hair, sending shivers down his spine. Moriarty smirks knowingly before adapting that sad look again.

“What do I need to do John? Do you want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. I’ll give you the moon John.”

John wants to laugh, he wants to cry too. The most romantic moment of his life and it ends up being with his enemy. He wants to push him off and run away, but he also wants to just give in. Instead he’s frozen, his mind and body not responding to him.

“Mori-“his voice cracks. Moriartys’ hand slides down to cup his cheek and John feels himself lean into it unconsciously.

“Jim, or James” Jim says.

John feels his heart beating faster than it ever should, adrenaline pumping though out him and his fight or flight instincts are screaming at him.

“Jim, I-“ can’t, I’m not gay

“Just for today” Jim whispers, or pleads.

Johns’ resolve breaks. Dropping the flowers, he uses both hands to cup Jims’ face and brings it to his in a crushing kiss. Jim responds in kind, grabbing John behind the neck to pull his face impossibly closer. Its intense, lips clashing and tongues tangling.

John wants to cry again as he feels Jims’ desperation. The criminal had been telling the truth, John has no choice but to believe it now as the man tries very hard to blend the two of them into one person.

The need for air becomes too much and he has to physically push Jim away to finally break the kiss. Even then the man comes back and presses light kisses to Johns’ open mouth repeatedly until John starts kissing back. The kisses turn tender and Jims’ hands slide back into Johns’ hair, caressing. They kiss for what feels like a lifetime.

Eventually they stop, Johns’ hands still cupping Jims’ face and the man looks in bliss. John smiles and laughs softly, resting his head on Jims’ shoulder. Jims’ fingers sliding through his hair.

“Happy Valentine’s day, my dear John”

“Happy Valentine’s day Jim”


	2. holding hands

“Excuse me” a small voice calls out.

John lifts his head and turns towards the source of the voice. A little girl with a bright red headband is standing in front of them with a big smile on her face and the forgotten flowers in her hands. John internally coos over the fact that the bouquet is almost as big as the little girl.

“I think you dropped these mister” she says, holding the flowers out to him.

Before he can reach out for them, Jims’ hands pluck them from the Childs carefully.

“Thank you sweetheart” he replies

The little girl nods and skips off towards a sweet couple a few feet away. Slipping in-between the two adults, the family all holds hands as they continue walking along the path. John and Jim watch them until they’re out of sight.

Disentangling from each other, Jim finally gives John a few inches of space.

John takes this brief moment to consider what he just did. He kissed another man, he kissed his enemy, a criminal, and most important to note: he kissed Moriarty. It had felt like the right thing to do, at that moment. But that moment had passed and Moriarty is currently watching his face carefully.

“What?” John asks, he doesn’t like the intense look Moriarty is giving him.

Moriarty smirks, “you keep on impressing me” is all he says before standing up and stretching his arms and back. He turns back to John who is still sitting and offers a hand.

John looks at the hand and then at Moriarty.

“It’s a beautiful day for a walk, don’t you think?” Jim explains, a tender glint in his eyes and an almost nervous tremor in his outstretched hand.

John remembers Jims’ words from earlier ‘just for today’.

“Yeah. It is” he says slowly.

He reaches out and grabs the offered hand, standing up. Once they’re side by side, John takes a leap and threads their fingers together in the hold. Jim doesn’t say anything, but he looks away from John, turning slightly pink as they start to walk away from the bench.

“Oh wait” John says, stunning Jim for a moment as he turns back and grabs the bouquet they almost forgot again. John looks at Jim who is smirking again; he just shrugs, ignoring his embarrassment and the two continue walking hand in hand.

John looks around as they walk, the park is mostly empty except for the odd couple or two. He feels like he should be more concerned, or embarrassed with what he’s doing, but something about the other hand in his and the warm body next to him is oddly comforting.

Jim breaks the silence with a soft humming. Eventually it grows into a loud humming. Noticing Johns’ staring, Jim breaks out into a full – cheeky toothy smile directed at John as he starts softly singing

_‘No matter what we do,_

_It’s always fun with you,_

_By my side,_

_A ride in the park,_

_Stollin’ the dark,_

_Always a lark’_

He looks at John as he raises their joined hands to his mouth, giving it a soft kiss as he continues the song,

_‘Here we go,_

_Holding hands,_

_Just like kids,_

_You and I,_

_In a glow,_

_Holding hands,_

_As the hours go by’_

As he sings, John looks away; a couple walking past are smiling at them. He smiles back, feeling very awkward. Jim raises his voice a few volumes, bringing Johns’ attention back to him.

_‘In our own secret way,_

_Where our fingers caress,_

_We’ve got so much to say,_

_That no neighbour can guess,_

_So correct! Who’d suspect?_

_It meant ever so much,_

_Not a word,_

_Can be heard,_

_But as our fingers touch,_ (and here he touches his free hand to their joined ones as emphasis)

_Off we go,_

_On a cloud,_

_All alone,_

_In the crowd,_

_Speaking love together holding~ hands’_

He finishes with such a big swing of their hands that John laughs.

Under the trees, with such a beautiful song sung so softly, holding hands. It’s like something out of a fairy tale and John begins to wonder if he did indeed truly wake up this morning. Not something John would usually wish for himself and yet the calmness and perfectness of the moment, contrasted with the fact that he’s with someone who is normally very dangerous, it’s pleasantly odd.

“Cute” is all John can think to say as Jim peers at him in a sideways glance.

Jim grins proudly, “I thought it was appropriate”

John nods, it was fitting song. Holding hands in the park. The rest… well

“What’s it called?”

Jim looks at him like he asked a stupid question “uh, holding hands”, the ‘duh’ is silent.

They walk a bit further, past a cute pond filled with swans and ducks swimming peacefully. Jim breaks the silence again as he elaborates,

“’J’ai ta main’ originally, a popular French song in 1938, adapted into English”

“Oh” is all John can think to say. Actually no –

“How do you know it?”

Jim shrugs, “I listen to a lot of music. That song – the English version happened to be sung by a singer who’s in quite a few good musicals I enjoy. He translates quite a few French songs into English”

“Musicals?” John questions

“Mhm, I love musicals” he leans into John, looking around as if about to tell a secret, “they usually have the best music to dance to”

John finds himself smiling at the thought, and notices Jims’ face light up as well

“You want to know my favourite?” he asks John.

John nods, expecting maybe something sinister, like wicked, or Heathers? Something with a lot of death.

“Mamma mia”

Johns’ brain takes a second to compute that thought. Definitely not what he was expecting

“Not what I was expecting” he says.

“Am I impressing you Johnny?”

John looks towards Jim who is looking at him, a soft look on his face again. Words catch in Johns’ throat. He knows. He knows the deeper meaning to that question. He looks away and they continue walking.

John re-adjusts his grip on the flowers and remembers a question that’s been on his mind since the kiss.

“Why today?” he asks

Jim looks confused for a moment before he seems to click into Johns’ wavelength.

“It’s valentine’s day”

Jim stops walking and John pauses with him

“In school they tell you it’s a day to confess to your crush. I thought it was stupid” Jim closes his eyes as a pained expression washes over him. John squeezes their joined hands softly, this brings Jim back and he looks directly at Johns’ eyes

“According to legend, valentine was a physician priest who helped marry people who were forbidden to love and was jailed for his crime. Another says he fell in love with his jailors daughter. He wrote her a letter signed ‘your valentine’ as he was sent to his death” he bites his lip “Both stories talk about forbidden love. Imagine that” he finishes, widening his eyes in mock surprise.

“Jim, sorry, but what does that have-“

“Plus I was bored today” Jim cuts in. A casual air about him as he continues walking, dragging John along by the hand.

John knows that last part is a lie, he could feel it earlier. But he doesn’t say anything. Not today.

Jim stops suddenly again and John almost bumps into him.

“Heeeey Johnny” he calls in a sing song. John is immediately apprehensive.

“Nothing bad, I just had a thought. There’s a cinema closeby. They play anything, well, anything I want” he trails off, looking at John hopefully, “we could watch Mamma mia, the film” he finishes by wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

John huffs a laugh at the dramatics, his heart beat still recovering from the scare.

It soars again as his phone buzzes in his pocket. He uses his free hand to pull it out. Sherlock messaged

**‘Potential 6 – come back when possible’**

It buzzes again

**‘Could be exciting – SH’**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to Chanteuse for saying you'd like part two. I had decidedly too much fun writing it and had to split it into what is now three parts.
> 
> song:  
> https://open.spotify.com/album/5WeYKYI3V6dSJujxoPreVY?highlight=spotify:track:35ILwuE99PtXp8v9GBQ73i (if you have a spotify account)  
> or possibly:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW0rnw___n4&list=OLAK5uy_kV1GTx5w_HdN3HyjR8dNN1-PdELA1CDr8&index=12&t=0s (not sure what countries it works in though)  
> or the original (french version):  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obRHOXokKkg


	3. Singing in the rain

John looks up at Jim who is looking at Johns’ phone with a dark look. He senses Johns’ stare and looks up, his face morphing into a blank mask, his posture shifting to something more closed off.

“Well darling, I won’t force you to stay.” He says, and yet his grip on Johns’ hand tightens.

“Jim, I-“

“Of course, there will always be more sixes, and missing persons. It’s not even that interesting, trust me” Jim rambles. John smiles a tense smile when Jim keeps talking, not letting him finish what he was going to say.

“Jim!” he shouts. Jim closes his mouth with a click.

John shakes his head, knowing he’s probably making yet another bad decision. He leans forward and kisses the man in front of him. A soft, long kiss with their lips barely touching. He pulls back

“Jim” he says, “I choose you”

Jim blinks twice slowly. Multiple emotions pass over his face, and his eyes mist slightly.

“John, I don’t think you understand what that means.” He pulls away from John and paces a few steps.

“Just for today” John reminds Jim (and himself)

He swivels back to John, pausing a moment, “no one has ever chosen me over someone else” he says quietly

“Am I impressing you?” John asks, sticking his tongue out slightly.

Jims' mouth spreads into a toothy smile “always”

“Hey John, can I borrow your phone?” Jim asks as they make their way out of the park, headed to this cinema Jim mentioned.

“What for?” John asks, slightly defensive, not forgetting who he’s with.

Jim rolls his eyes, “I don’t have mine on me and-“

“Wait, you don’t?” John asks, slightly surprised. He had guessed the criminal would be inseparable from it, much like Irene Adler

Jim rolls his neck, making a face “yeah, well. I didn’t want to be disturbed” he shrugs like it’s no big deal. “AND” he says pointedly, “I need to message that we’re on our way. They don’t exactly know me by face”

“How does that happen when you actually make an appearance, and I’m guessing regularly?” he jests, and yet Jim nods

“They know to avoid the area, and I usually cut off the security”

“ _Oh_ ” John says, handing over his phone.

After the last credits have rolled past, John and Jim exit the cinema to find the sky had turned grey and there is a light rain. Standing in the doorway, John glances at Jim though the corner of his eye.

It had been quite an experience watching films with Jim. Unlike with Sherlock, Jim actually kept quiet and didn’t fidget when he got bored. He sung every song and sat in awed silence the rest of the time. Even while eating popcorn, Jim never let go of his hold on John, and if John had noticed eyes on him occasionally, he hadn’t let on.

“Taxi?” John asks. He’s not sure where they’re going next, but he’d rather not walk in the rain.

Instead of answering, Jim steps out into the rain, his clothes getting more and more spottier from the rain as he just stands in the open. He twirls quickly, once, twice and then turns to John

“Let’s walk, it’s a beautiful evening for it”

John sighs in defeat as he joins his companion on another walk, this time in a light downpour.

The rain isn’t actually very bothersome, or cold particularly. Jim is humming again, although this time John can recognise the tune.

John joins in with Jim, humming ‘singing in the rain’. Jim turns positively gleeful and starts skipping ahead, even jumping lightly in a puddle and John just shakes his head at this dangerous man-child.

“You’re going to get a cold if you keep splashing in puddles” John teases

“Lies. You don’t get sick from being too cold. It’s the allergens in the air”

John rolls his eyes “I know that. I am a doctor”

Jim tilts his head, “among other things, Mr. Mystery”

“Mystery?” john asks. Jim ignores the question and skips towards another puddle.

The sky slowly darkens above the clouds as they continue to walk, seemingly in circles. John didn’t want to ask where they were going but he is getting rather hungry, the popcorn from the cinema only filling his stomach so much.

“Jim, where are we going?”

“Nowhere; anywhere” Jim replies enigmatically, slowing to be back in pace with John, reaching out his hand again.

John takes his hand, it’s surprisingly warm and John realises the rain must have chilled him at some point. Jim gives him another warm smile, although it looks a little sad now, and John hates that he can recognise that now, after spending so long in the mans’ company.

“Better question” Jim says after another hour or so of walking, “why?” he moves to stand in Johns’ path “why did you give in John? I know I’m ‘irresistible’, but you’re stronger than that, your morals…”

Johns’ lips suddenly feel dry and he wets them with his tongue. He’s not sure why. Was he lonely? Was he craving danger? Did he feel any attraction to Jim? He kissed an enemy, a known murderer, a man.

“I’m not sure actually” John says slowly, choosing his words “it just felt right, as odd as that is. This” he gestures broadly at everything “It doesn’t feel real, it’s like a dream. ‘Just for today’ you said”. The second time however…

Jim doesn’t say anything in response, simply looking down at Johns’ hand with the flowers.

“You should throw those out, they’ll be dead soon anyway”

John looks at the flowers and knows it’s true, they’ve been out of water for too long.

Jims’ hands cover both of Johns. Looking back up, John finds Jim leaning in. Jim kisses him softly on the cheek, Lingering for a moment. He pulls back and smiles a melancholy smile again

“Thank you John, for being my valentine” he whispers, letting go of his hold on John. John immediately misses the warmth

“Jim-“

“Its Moriarty” he smirks, danger returning to his eyes “until you decide you’re in love with me, then its Jim again” he winks “tootles”.

John is lost for words for a moment before he regains himself. Fine. Enemies once again.

He walks forward, leaving the days’ events behind him.

His grip on the bouquet strengthening.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that is the end. Thank you to anyone that reads this story.Iit was originally only meant to be like 500 words.Oops. Sorry if the two are out of character - romance will do that (and bad writing).  
> Would love comments, reviews, harsh criticisms, whatever you have to give. 
> 
> ps. I wanted to have a different ending where Jim reveals he added his number into Johns phone and messages him, but then I remembered that Jim didn't have his phone on him :/  
> so yeah, Jim may have added his number into Johns phone under the contact 'my future BF :D' or something ^_^

**Author's Note:**

> A short story I wrote on valentines day; because if i can't find love, my favourite ship sure as hell will.  
> about half way though writing this, i took a break to have a shower and came up with a completely different plot than the one i ended up writing. if anyone is interested i could maybe try and write it as a part two? (Moriarty sings)
> 
> also, i do have more stories planned, one Johniarty almost finished, but i'm a perfectionist so i make no promises to it ever actually being completed and posted. But hopefully.


End file.
